Generous contribution will be used to enhance and expand the Native Edge
Press Release – Mesa, AZ – The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (the National Center) recently received a $75,000 grant from the UPS Foundation, which drives corporate citizenship and philanthropic programs for UPS (NYSE:UPS). The grant will be used to further develop the Native Edge, the National Center’s innovative online platform designed to give Indian Country the edge in business.
“The UPS Foundation is honored to support the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s efforts to expand and enhance the Native Edge,” said Eduardo Martinez, president of the UPS Foundation and chief diversity and inclusion officer at UPS. “Our goal is to fund powerful programs that make a lasting difference to the global community.”
Indian Country Today called the Native Edge a “Linkedin, Monster.com & Facebook for Natives.” The online platform – found at www.nativeedge.com – features four components:
- The Hire Edge, which helps Native American business owners find employees, and job seekers to find potential employers. It also helps Corporate Diversity Recruiters to meet and exceed their diversity goals by matching them with Native American workforce.
- The Native to Native (N2N) Edge Community allows businesses to network with each other and initiate new relationships.
- The Training Edge, which provides business owners and their employees with interactive tools and training sessions to help in their professional development.
- The Procurement Edge, which is a database for both federal and corporate procurement opportunities, which also allows for Native-owned businesses to partner and team with each other.
Basic membership is free of charge, and includes access to the Hire Edge and N2N Edge Community. Access to the Training Edge and Procurement Edge is possible through a low monthly or yearly subscription fee.
“The National Center is incredibly grateful to have the support of the UPS Foundation as we continue to promote and advance the Native Edge,” said Gary Davis, President and CEO of the National Center. “The Native Edge is already transforming the way Indian Country does business by providing both employers and job-seekers with an online platform to match skills and talent with the best jobs. The UPS Foundation’s generous contribution will enable us to expand the platform’s reach even further, opening up its benefits to an even wider audience. We look forward to continuing our strong relationship with the UPS Foundation in the years ahead.”
In addition to the Native Edge, the National Center hosts the largest economic development event in Indian Country – the Reservation Economic Summit (RES). RES brings together tribal leaders, elected officials, representatives from business, established or aspiring Native American business owners, and many more to learn, brainstorm, collaborate, and network in an innovative and motivational atmosphere. The next regional RES – RES Oklahoma – will take place from July 11-14 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, just outside of Tulsa, OK. For more information about RES or to register for the event, please visit www.res.ncaied.org.
Established in 1951 and based in Atlanta, GA, the UPS Foundation identifies specific areas where its backing clearly impacts social issues. In support of this strategic approach, the UPS Foundation has identified the following focus areas for giving: volunteerism, diversity, community safety, and the environment. In 2015, UPS and its employees – active and retired – invested more than $110 million in charitable giving around the world. The UPS Foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/foundation.
About the National Center: The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. With over 40 years of assisting American Indian Tribes and their enterprises with business and economic development – we have evolved into the largest national Indian specific business organization in the nation. Our motto is: “We Mean Business For Indian Country” as we are actively engaged in helping Tribal Nations and Native business people realize their business goals and are dedicated to putting the whole of Indian Country to work to better the lives of American Indian people- both now… and for generations to come.
